Nico studied at the Faculty of Art & Design, Technikon, Witwatersrand where he obtained the National Art Teacher[0x1]s Diploma (NATD) and the National Higher Diploma in Fine Arts (NAFA). He specialized in Child Art/Art Education.

He commenced his teaching career while a student, teaching art to children and adults at the Benoni Commercial High School. He then taught art at the Ho[0xC3AB]r Folkston, Potchefstroom, 1960-1964.

In 1965 he was appointed lecturer of art at the Johannesburg College of Art, then senior lecturer and finally head of the Fine Arts Department of the School of Art and Design, Technicon Witwatersrand. In 1983 he was appointed Director of this institution.

During the above-mentioned period Nico was art critic for the SABC (Afrikaans section) and for Die Vaderland, Die Transvaaler and guest art critic for Die Beeld. He wrote for Die Lantern (now Vuka), Art Look, Flying Springbok, Barclay Card Magazine, Cultura, etc.

Nico was member of the Sestiger painter/artist group movement in the sixties that brought new ideas and fresh techniques onto the art scene. He has had numerous solo art exhibitions and has participated in many group shows in South Africa and overseas. Nico was one of the artists invited by Pres. Thabo Mbeki to visualize his African Renaissance. In 1999 this project was launched at the State Theatre, Pretoria.

At present Nico is a full time painter and conducts private art workshops. He is a well known speaker on art, art advisor and a judge of art competitions and art festivals all over the country. He is also a regular exhibitor at Aardklop, Potchefstroom.

His work can be seen in the art collections of the art museums of Johannesburg, Sandton, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Pietersburg and Lichtenburg. Wits, RAU, PUCHO, Stellenbosch University, SABC, FAK, SASOL, Mosgas, TELKOM, ABSA and Plascon also have selections of his paintings.

Nico was a board member of the Transvaal Regional Council for Cultural Affairs and of the Art Committee of the FAK. Previously he acted as art consultant for Senbank and Gencor.

Nico van Rensburg was born on the 23rd of September 1935 in Ladybrand, Eastern Free State and went to school in Ladybrand and Benoni. He now lives in Hermanus.